PITTSBURGH,None — Hundreds of mourners gathered Thursday at Saint Paul Cathedral in Oakland for the funeral Mass for Bishop John McDowell, retired auxiliary bishop of Pittsburgh.
VIDEO: Hundreds Gather For Bishop McDowell's Funeral
McDowell, 88, died on Feb. 25. He retired in September 1996 after 30 years as a bishop.
Bishop David Zubik presided at the Mass and priests of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and religious order clergy celebrated the Mass with Zubik.
"Bishop McDowell was a giant of the Church," Zubik said. "A national figure in Catholic education, and an influential bishop in our national conference. We remember him most of all as a priest, bishop, friend and advisor who loved the Church of Pittsburgh, loved his fellow priests, and lovingly served the faithful for so many years as a pastor."
The retired bishop was well known in Catholic education nationwide, and was a leader in educational matters for the Catholic Bishops. He was instrumental in drafting the 1972 landmark document of the United States bishops on catechesis, 'To Teach as Jesus Did.'"
"He always attended the concerts that we had, and he would come back stage and sit at the piano, and he would play, ‘Tea For Two, Two For Tea,'" said Sister Mary Richard, who attended the funeral Mass. "And I always remember that. He was very, very interested in the work that the sisters were doing."
McDowell served the Diocese of Pittsburgh as assistant superintendent of schools, superintendent of schools and vicar for education. In recognition of his service to Catholic education, a consolidated elementary school in the South Hills area in 1995 was named the Bishop John B. McDowell Regional School.
"Bishop McDowell has made extraordinary contributions to the work of Catholic education at the diocesan and national levels," said Father Kris Stubna, diocesan secretary for education. "As superintendent of schools and vicar for education, the bishop guided a system of schools that educated more that 120,000 students, the peak of Catholic school enrollment locally."
Bishop McDowell also authored seven biographies on the past bishops of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. He completed his last, a brief biography of Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl of Washington, a month after celebrating his 84th birthday. His final book was an autobiography, completed in 2007.
Retired Pittsburgh Auxiliary Bishop William J. Winter said Bishop McDowell's most outstanding trait was that he was "always a priest."
He praised Bishop McDowell's total dedication "to the work of the church" throughout his life, regardless of whether he was serving in a parish role or overseeing Catholic education.
"He really was a true pastor," Bishop Winter said.
Born on July 17, 1921, in New Castle, Pa., the son of Bernard A. McDowell and Louise Hannon McDowell, he attended St. Lawrence O'Toole Elementary School and Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh.
He earned a bachelor's degree from St. Vincent College, Latrobe, in 1942, and a master's degree from the same school two years later. At Catholic University of America, he earned a master's degree in administration and education in 1950 and a doctorate in education and philosophy in 1952. Duquesne University awarded him an honorary doctorate of literature in 1962.
Bishop McDowell was ordained a priest in November 1945, and served as associate pastor at St. Irenaeus Parish, Oakmont. He was named assistant superintendent of schools in 1952, superintendent of schools in 1955, and vicar for education in 1970. He also served a term as head of the National Catholic Educational Association. He was also pastor of Epiphany Church, Pittsburgh, from 1969 until his retirement.
He was appointed papal chamberlain in September 1956 and domestic prelate in February 1964.
Bishop McDowell was ordained as auxiliary bishop of Pittsburgh and titular bishop of Tamazuca in St. Paul's Cathedral on September 8, 1966.
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